Grey Friars. Monks of the order of St. Francis of Assisi, organized at the beginning of the thirteenth century. The Grey Friars are dressed in heavy grey cloth; they wear a → little pointed hood or cowl, a → coat of the same material, and a → belt made of rope, tied with three knots, to which they owe their name. [1] In the past they were called the Poor Minorites, ← a → name they changed to Minorite Brothers, as they disliked the term "poor." Yet, they were the first to renounce all temporal possessions. They can be members of the Faculty of Theology of Paris. Several among them have become bishops, cardinals, and even popes. Their order has produced great men in different fields; chief among them one could name Friar Bacon, famous for the persecutions he suffered at the hands of his own order and for the discoveries he made in ← a → dark age. See the article Chemistry ( Chymie ). Though this order has not always had an equal number of famous names, it has never ceased to be useful to the Church and society; today it is especially distinguished for its learning, its morals, and its reputation. See Cowl ( Capuchon ).

Notes

1. Cordeliers , from Corde , the word for rope.